Some residents await Supreme Court's decision

The state Supreme Court began hearing arguments Tuesday on whether cities and counties can ban medical marijuana dispensaries – a ruling long awaited by both the municipalities that want to get rid of the clinics and the patients who say the medical cannabis is their life-saver.

Although most Orange County cities prohibit the dispensaries, in recent years, hundreds have opened up across the county. Perhaps because of its demographics, Laguna Woods in 2008 became the first city in Orange County to allow them.

"There are many, many people who live in this community that depend on medical marijuana to improve their quality of life," said Mayor Bob Ring, who was councilman at the time of the unanimous City Council vote. "We wanted to do whatever we could to make it convenient for those people."

Ring said no medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in Laguna Woods, likely because few locations would qualify due to state laws restricting where one can operate. The ordinance restricts pot shops from within 1,000 feet of establishments providing youth-oriented services.

An additional restriction requiring written landlord acknowledgement and approval of the dispensary has proven equally difficult for potential dispensaries to overcome, Ring said.

In 1996, California voters approved the Compassionate Use Act. It allowed patients with a valid doctor's recommendation to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use and asked the state and the federal government to create a safe and affordable system. In 2003, the California Legislature approved a program that included providing medical marijuana users with identification cards.

Opponents contend that it is not difficult to acquire a doctor's note for medical pot and complain that the dispensaries attract recreational drug users and increase crime. Supporters argue that the bans hurt the people who need the medication the most.

"It's one more tool in the tool box," said Shari Horne, past president of the Laguna Woods Village Cannabis Club. "It makes seniors feel better and participate more fully in life and get an appetite when they're wasting away....I find it offensive that the state wants to shut that down when the people of California have spoken by vote."

In 2010, the Golden Rain Foundation, a non-profit corporation that oversees recreation facilities in Laguna Woods Village, banned residents from growing medical marijuana in the community garden centers. Board President Lynne Dvorak said Friday the decision was made in order to keep the gardens secure.

"We were afraid we would have people jumping the fence if they found out marijuana was growing, and we couldn't take that liability risk," Dvorak said. She noted the law provides that people can grow marijuana for medical use on their own patios, though the number of plants is limited.